Would an NFL franchise be successful in the UK?

[DavidDetroit]

I'm just curious as to what your thoughts are. Is American football interesting enough?
The biggest logistic hurdle is the time zone. It would seem that the UK team would be at a huge disadvantage having to travel 8 times per season whereas teams in the division only travels once.

 

[Dexter101]

I love american football and have started following it quite a bit. I think the problem in the UK is that the following is not big enough to support a full time team.

Most premier league football (soccer) get lower attendance figures than college football does!

 

[DavidDetroit]

Most premier league football (soccer) get lower attendance figures than college football does!

I would imagine there is a "relevant factor" in play here and that we have to keep in mind how many people are available to attend whatever sporting event. A team like University of Michigan attracts fans from a very wide radius. Where I live, U of M, arguably the main college team in the state, sells out a 100K+ stadium year in and year out.
There are many professional teams here, no matter the sport, where attendance is but a minor factor as all the franchises share the bounties of contracts with TV, cable, etc. Those things put attendance as a yardstick and as it relates to longevity/viability, low on the list. Basically, a UK team could draw 5K fans a game and still be a money making venture for the owner.
Over here, soccer (football) is booming. I like that because it's an exciting sport.

 

[druid1966]

Real football is not played in the US (it should be called handball ((already taken)) or huddle) when I watch football ((soccer)) I am reminded of what a real sport looks like. ….and now I will step down from my soap box.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I used to watch American football but only the edited version I can imagine it's great to watch live at the stadium but I couldn't watch a full game on TV the adverts would drive me mad.

 

[foxy]

Aussie rules is the most exciting game to watch or play. A player on average loses 3 kg throughout the game. Wasn't so long ago the only rule was you aren't allowed to kill anybody.
In saying that they interchange with the Irish Gaelic team for matches. I have a feeling American Football has its roots in an Irish background as Aussie Rules seems to have.

 

[Dexter101]

I would imagine there is a "relevant factor" in play here and that we have to keep in mind how many people are available to attend whatever sporting event. A team like University of Michigan attracts fans from a very wide radius. Where I live, U of M, arguably the main college team in the state, sells out a 100K+ stadium year in and year out.
There are many professional teams here, no matter the sport, where attendance is but a minor factor as all the franchises share the bounties of contracts with TV, cable, etc. Those things put attendance as a yardstick and as it relates to longevity/viability, low on the list. Basically, a UK team could draw 5K fans a game and still be a money making venture for the owner.
Over here, soccer (football) is booming. I like that because it's an exciting sport.

I find sport in America, facinating as it just has such a draw for people.

As a comparison, when I played rugby at university, you had about 20 people watching in a muddy field somewhere.

I also find it interesting the use of sport as a carrot for education.

I also find it sad as I believe american football you don't really get local amateur sides. A distant family relative used to coach college football and I was talking to him about it. He was sayig you might get a firefighter team that plays once a year or something but not the equivalent of sunday league pub football like in the UK.

 

[Dexter101]

A lifelong goal is also to go tailgating! Beer and bbq and sport... does it get any better

 

[DavidDetroit]

American Football has its roots

I saw a little rugby and there's no doubt that American football was derived from that or the like.
I never looked it up but baseball just seems like an offshoot of cricket.

 

[DavidDetroit]

Beer and bbq and sport

It is interesting to see the cooking creativity on a game day. Depending on where you tailgate, there's a picnic/carnival/pub atmosphere. I only know about Detroit. Who knows what goes on in Philadelphia or New Orleans or where ever?
On a typical Sunday, folks are out there at 6am partying prior to a 1pm game.

 

[DavidDetroit]

such a draw for people.

I thought the same for football in Europe.
That is definitely true here. Concerning the NFL or college football, I don't attend a game often as the best seat is in front of the TV. I've stopped watching basketball, hockey and baseball, more or less, since you have to pay to watch if you want to really follow a team.
As far as college athletics go with regard to education, it's kind of a mess with scandals happening all the time. A small percentage of top-tier athletes are there to get an education and see college athletics as a springboard to earn a living playing their sport.
I played baseball in college and no fans. When we played a big school like Michigan, there were more, maybe 60-200?

 

[DavidDetroit]

Real football is not played in the US

It's been discussed that the name doesn't fit the sport. I can't disagree.
Maybe "Passball"? No one's using that.
My dad was an avid handball player in his day. Difficult sport.

 

[Dexter101]

It is interesting to see the cooking creativity on a game day. Depending on where you tailgate, there's a picnic/carnival/pub atmosphere. I only know about Detroit. Who knows what goes on in Philadelphia or New Orleans or where ever?
On a typical Sunday, folks are out there at 6am partying prior to a 1pm game.

A friend from uni now lives in New York State and goes to the Bills games. Heard good things

 

[Dexter101]

I thought the same for football in Europe.
That is definitely true here. Concerning the NFL or college football, I don't attend a game often as the best seat is in front of the TV. I've stopped watching basketball, hockey and baseball, more or less, since you have to pay to watch if you want to really follow a team.
As far as college athletics go with regard to education, it's kind of a mess with scandals happening all the time. A small percentage of top-tier athletes are there to get an education and see college athletics as a springboard to earn a living playing their sport.
I played baseball in college and no fans. When we played a big school like Michigan, there were more, maybe 60-200?

We get college football on BT sport so started watching it when I had our first baby as its on late at night. Just had our second so seen more over the last couple of days.

The stadiums must be really loud on game day as the bands just look massive. When England play cricket, theres one trumpeter

 

[Pavros]

I used to watch Armoured Rugby when it was on Channel 4 before the Fridge Superbowl. I also had a season ticket for the London Monarchs for one of the NFL Europe seasons. However I haven't watched it much in the last 15 or so years (even with the BBC showing the London games live).

It was obvious in the NFL Europe days that the NFL wanted a European team but it seemed that only London or Germany (near US bases) would have a decent enough crowd. Even the season after the Monarchs won the championship, they were only getting 20 - 25,000 crowds which made Wembley seem empty. I appreciate the comment about the crowd size not being a factor in being profitable but I'm not sure if the NFL would be interested in televising a game with a half-full stadium and little crowd noise.

Also, the idea at that time was that any London franchise would only travel 2 or 3 times to the US and would play 2 or 3 games on the road at a time to reduce the constant to-ing and fro-ing.

 

[DavidDetroit]

When England play cricket, theres one trumpeter

Less is more then? Cricket seems like such a quiet game. I would think a three-piece band might be nice during downtime (if there is any).
In hockey, it has been customary to have just one organ.

 

[DavidDetroit]

used to watch American football but only the edited version I can imagine it's great to watch live at the stadium but I couldn't watch a full game on TV the adverts would drive me mad.

Believe it or not, the edited version was a little too fast for me at first. I had to keep my eyes glued to the TV. I was used to the five second play followed by a minute or whatever. It's a nice way once you get used to it.
Stadium atmosphere is a lot of fun. I doubt it's any different than a big-time game there.
The commercials are a bummer. I always mute them and find something to do during that period. Also with 2-3 games on at once, there's a lot of channel switching.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

It's been discussed that the name doesn't fit the sport. I can't disagree.

Although kicking the ball is not the main part of the game it is part of it and i cannot imagine what name would sound right now its been called "American football" for all these years.

 

[MyQul]

I would imagine there is a "relevant factor" in play here and that we have to keep in mind how many people are available to attend whatever sporting event. A team like University of Michigan attracts fans from a very wide radius. Where I live, U of M, arguably the main college team in the state, sells out a 100K+ stadium year in and year out.
There are many professional teams here, no matter the sport, where attendance is but a minor factor as all the franchises share the bounties of contracts with TV, cable, etc. Those things put attendance as a yardstick and as it relates to longevity/viability, low on the list. Basically, a UK team could draw 5K fans a game and still be a money making venture for the owner.
Over here, soccer (football) is booming. I like that because it's an exciting sport.

A UK NFL franchise would be very successful. The international series they have here in London, the games are always sold out. NFL is also popular in Europe so if we had a franchise here in the UK you would get fans from all over europe coming to watch the games. As it's obviously a lot easier for other European to get to London than it is to the States. This is one of the reasons, I believe, that the London international series games are always sold out

NFL is so successful here that Tottenham Hotspur's ( North London soccer/football team) new ground which was just finished this year has a retractable pitch, which has a NFL pitch underneath

 

[DavidDetroit]

Watching the live games from London, I was surprised how well fans know NFL (cheering at the appropriate times). Unfortunately, for me, rugby and cricket remain a mystery.
As a side effect, if a franchise were ever to happen, I wonder if American football leagues would pop up for the children.
There would be quite a delay before it became culturally acceptable, if ever.